


Miscommunications (Can) Lead To Fall-Out

by iron_america



Series: Transvengers Prompts [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Gen, Jemma is MTF, SHIELD is an elementary school, Trans Female Character, but every character is a teacher, jemma likes fall out boy, skye hangs out with tony a little too much, skye thinks it's blasphemy, tony is mentioned once or twice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-19
Updated: 2015-08-19
Packaged: 2018-04-15 13:40:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4608855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iron_america/pseuds/iron_america
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on transvengers prompt #3: Well-meaning but insensitive coworker/teammate/etc.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Miscommunications (Can) Lead To Fall-Out

**Author's Note:**

> Why do I always post at 4 AM?
> 
> Title is adapted from The Story of Us by Taylor Swift

Jemma is nervous. She hasn’t come out to all of her coworkers yet—actually just one. Leo Fitz, also a science teacher. They had bonded over being new teachers—they both started five years before. Jemma is wearing a green polka-dot shirt and a black skater skirt with nude heels.

“Looking good, Jem,” Leo says, walking past her. The comment eases her nerves. She knows that Leo is on his way to the science center. She would be too if she didn’t have something to do before.

She walks into the teacher’s lounge, heels clicking against the hardwood floor, and sits down across from Skye. Skye asks, “Why the skirt, James?”

“It’s Jemma,” Jemma says quietly. She takes a shaky breath. “And I’m wearing the skirt because I’m a girl.”

“Okay, but why _that_ skirt? The skater skirt trend died out about a year ago.”

“It’s the only female outfit I own.” Jemma shrinks into herself.

“We’re going shopping.”

“I’m sorry?” Jemma is confused. She didn’t expect Skye to say that—or to react as well as she did.

“After work,” Skye clarifies. “You need new clothes. That skirt with that shirt isn’t gonna work. And you need a haircut.” Jemma can’t disagree with _that_. Her hair had been all over the place the last week. “And a manicure. And if you’re planning on wearing sandals, a pedicure.”

“You’ve been spending too much time with Tony.” Jemma chuckled. Skye’s little rambling sounded a lot like one of Tony’s ramblings.

“And since when is that a bad thing? He’s taught me a lot of things about hacking. Did you know he hacked into the Pentagon? On a high school _dare_.” It’s obvious Skye admires the older man. “But shopping. At four. We meet here, alright?” Skye asks. The bell rings, signaling to the teachers that they have to get to class. Jemma smiles.

* * *

Jemma meets Skye at their table in the teacher’s lounge at 4:00, as promised.

“Hey, Jem,” Skye says. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah,” Jemma replies. She smiles and slings her bag over her shoulder. “Let’s go.”

They decide to take Jemma’s car—a black 1965 Mustang—because it’s not Skye’s van. Jemma picks the music. She chooses her Fall Out Boy CDs. Skye protests, calling it blasphemy.

“Come on, Skye. Just because you prefer AC/DC doesn’t make liking Fall Out Boy blasphemy.” Jemma goes back to singing along to her favorite song, Novocaine.

To Skye’s delight, they arrive at the mall as soon as that song is over. Skye takes Jemma to Di Rosa and asks for Jen. “She’s my hairstylist, she’s amazing, you’ll love her.” Jemma trusts Skye—which turns out to be the best decision of her life. She tells Jen what she wants and Jen cuts her messy hair into a cute pixie cut. Jemma smiles and thanks Jen.

They walk out of Di Rosa and into Forever 21. Jemma sees a dress she likes—a long, tight black dress that looked more practical for dating than teaching. She excitedly shows it to Skye.

“No.”

“Why not?” Jemma is confused. The dress is sexy. It’s not like she would wear it to work.

“Too sexy for third graders. We’re focusing on work.”

“I know it’s too sexy for work. I might want to go out one night. I need dating clothes, too.”

“No, Jem. Not now. You _need_ work clothes. You _want_ dating clothes.”

Jemma throws her hands up in exasperation. “Skye, I need date clothes, just like I need work clothes. Can’t we shop for both?”

“Jem, you’re making a scene.” Skye looks around the store to see people staring at them.

“Whatever,” Jemma says. She leaves the store and walks into the bathroom. She goes into a stall, locks the door, and squats on the toilet. She lets a few tears out.

“Jemma!” Skye leans into the girls’ bathroom. Jemma sniffles. “Jemma Simmons!”

And Jemma’s voice betrays her. “In here.”

“Unlock the door or I’m crawling under.” Jemma knows Skye is serious about crawling under the stall door, so she unlocks it. “What was that about?”

“I don’t have a good answer.”

“Try me.”

“Skye, transgender people are just like cisgender people. We like to go out. So when I was saying I needed date clothes, I meant it.”

“Jem, I’m sorry I was so insistent on keeping to work clothes. I know that you like to go out. But I thought you would want to get work clothes out of the way so you could shop for date and clubbing clothes by yourself so it wouldn’t be awkward.”

“And what about when I asked if we could shop for both? You said I was making a scene.”

“Yeah...sorry about that. I know this isn’t an excuse, but Tony’s kind of rubbed off on me.”

“You’re right. That’s _not_ an excuse,” Jemma chuckles. “I forgive you. We all do stupid stuff at one point or another.” Jemma gets off the toilet. “Let’s get back to shopping. For work _and_ date-slash-clubbing clothes.”

**Author's Note:**

> Ahhh. I'm starting to write my normal fic-chapter-length again.


End file.
